Glossary

Interests:Well....investigating ghosts and finding out what lies beyond this life of course!

Posted 15 December 2004 - 01:29 PM

Some time ago, the ghostvillage staff and myself came up with a glossary of terms that was published in the resources section of the village. I thought that I would copy it here in this forum so that it can be more readily used.

I am sure that you will agree with many of the definitions and disagree with some also, heck we did putting it together but it was a lot of fun. If you see that something should be added to it, just send me a pm and we will address it.

Age Regression: The process of going back to a previous time in your current life through the use of hypnosis.

Automatic Writing: A method of communication with the other side that involves using a normal writing instrument and paper. The automatic writer allows a spirit to control the pen and what is drawn or written on the paper.

Autonographist: Professional automatic writer.

Channeler: A person who allows a spirit to temporarily possess his or her body in order for the spirit to be able to communicate with the living.

Channeling Board: A tool used for communication with the other side. Also known as a Ouija board or talking board.

Clairalience: The ability to use smell to receive a spiritís message.

Clairambience: The ability to use taste to receive a spiritís message.

Clairaudience: The ability to hear sounds to receive a spiritís message.

Clairsentience: The feeling or sensing of a spiritís message.

Clairvoyance: The ability to see objects or events that others canít.

Collective Apparition: An apparition that is seen simultaneously by multiple witnesses.

Discarnate: Spirit or ghost Ė having no material body or form.

Ectoplasm: Residue left behind by ghosts or other paranormal phenomena. Many times ectoplasm is seen as a smoky film.

Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP): A term used to describe the noises and voices that are recorded on traditional audio or videotape, but that arenít necessarily audible to the human ear -- these are often believed to be voices from the other side.

Extrasensory Perception (ESP): An awareness of outside happenings or information not attained through the normal human senses.

Ghost: A visual manifestation of a soul, spirit, life force, or life energy. Most people use this term to describe the visual appearance of a human being or creature that has died and passed on to the other side. A ghost is residual in nature -- it does not interact with our physical world.

Ghost Buster: A person who visits a site that is believed to be haunted with the expressed purpose of eliminating the ghost or paranormal activity from that location.

Ghost Hunter: A person who investigates and studies ghosts, hauntings and paranormal phenomena.

Hypnotherapy: The treatment of an ailment through the use of hypnosis.

Medium: A person who has a special gift and believes he or she can act as a bridge between the world of the living and the other side.

Metaphysics: A field of study dedicated to the nature of reality; an underlying philosophical or theoretical principle.

Orbs: A phenomenon in the shape of a floating ball of light, often thought to be souls or spirit energy. Some theories state orbs are the form spirits travel in.

Other Side: A term used to describe the spirit world, or the place spirits go after death beyond our physical plane.

Paranormal: A term used to describe unusual activity that involves ghosts, apparitions, spirits, hauntings, poltergeists, monsters, etc. This term defines anything for which there is no scientific explanation.

Parapsychology: The study of phenomena, real or supposed, that appear inexplicable on presently accepted scientific theories.

Past-Life-Regression: The act of using trance or hypnosis to visit former lives.

Phenomenon: An unusual, profound, or unexplainable fact or occurrence.

Physical Mediumship: A form of mediumship in which the spirit communicates using both the physical energies and consciousness of the medium.

Place Memories: Refers to a location that captures energy and uses it to record an image of an event that once happened there and later replays it.

Planchette: A pointing device used in conjunction with a channeling board.

Poltergeist: German term which literally translates to ďnoisy ghost.Ē This phenomenon is more often experienced than seen. A poltergeist will often interact with its environment by moving objects, making noises, or making itself known in a variety of other ways. Some theories state poltergeists are related to the emotional state of a person living in the environment.

Progression Hypnotherapy: The act of visiting future lives through the use of hypnosis.

PSI: A term used to describe psychic ability or power.

Psychic: A person who uses empathic feelings to tap into nonphysical forces.

Psychokinesis: The ability to move objects using only oneís mind.

Psychosomatics: A field of study dedicated to the idea that the medical health of a personís body is related to that personís mind and emotions.

Reincarnation: The idea that a soul can be reborn into a new human body.

Residual Haunting: A term used to describe a ghost that is trapped in a continuous loop. Another theory is that an event left a psychic impression on an area and some people witness a replay of that scene.

Sixth Sense: A term used to describe psychic ability.

Soul Loss: The loss of vital energy experienced as a result of any kind of physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual trauma.

Spirit: Electromagnetic entities in the forms of orbs, mist, vortexes, or shadows, which are the signature of a once-living person who has returned to a specific location. Their nature is interactive as opposed to residual.

Spirit Communicator: A spirit or ghost that uses a medium in order to communicate with someone either verbally or visually.

Spirit Operator: A spirit or ghost that uses a medium to physically manipulate something on earth.

Spirit World: The place spirits go after death.

Spiritual Guide: A spirit that watches over a living person and that offers wisdom or guidance.

Superpersonalities: Negative entities.

Telepathy: Communication using the mind as opposed to other senses.

Trance Mediumship: A form of mediumship in which the medium shares his or her energy with a spirit through the use of trance.

Vortex: A tornado-like mass of air, water, or energy that spins around very fast -- creating a vacuum to pull objects into its empty center. In supernatural studies, a vortex is an energy mass that is a temporary opening to the other side, this can be the result of spirit energy in motion.